Sunday, January 28, 2007

There's much to offer our listeners in this week's episode of Golf for Beginners, from discussion involving the ever-astonishing Tiger Woods right down to knee-surgery, which is becoming more routine.

Barry can now say that he has something in common with Tiger Woods, namely a repaired left knee. We explain how arthroscopic surgery (Barry had a partial "Meniscectomy"), although becoming more mainstream, is not as easy to recover from as doctors may claim.

We also review the G-Clip 4-in-1 mini golf tool, an innovative product from Fine Tune golf. It's versatility on the course should make golfers more excited about fixing ball marks on the green as well as being "at the ready" to dispense a tee if ever a playing partner should be searching for one.

One of our quick golf tips comes from Fine Tune Golf packed away with their compact golf tool. "How to repair a pitch mark on the green" is rarely done correctly so we offer up this suggestion hoping that our listeners will repair not only the one they created but another one as well.

Some movies are loaded with great golf tips as in the case of "The Greatest Game Ever Played". After watching this film the other night, Barry and I relate a putting tip that would not only help us but also Tiger Woods after missing some short putts at this week's Buick Invitational.

Aside from the miscue on some of his short putts, Tiger walked away with his seventh straight win, the second longest win streak (Byron Nelson comes in first with 11) in PGA Tour history, number 55 on the win-meter and his fifth Buick Invitational trophy. Not bad for being "a little rusty".

The Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson rivalry created by the media is our focus on this week's "How we see it". We respond to an article written by Cameron Morfit which wonders if Phil Mickelson must beat Tiger Woods head-to-head in order to secure his place in history.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Vijay Singh began the golf season at the Mercedes-Benz Championship where he showed great form after the holiday layoff.

Second in the PGA Tour rotation was Phil Mickelson, who, although a bit rustier than Singh, provided viewers with more than just a glimpse of his spectacular drives and relaxed demeanor.

Finally, the time that golf fans have been waiting for is over: Tiger Woods is making his 2007 debut at the Buick Invitational. Taking the "gone skiing" notice from off of his front door, Woods readies himself for the long road ahead where he'll be challenging both Singh and Mickelson for not only top position on the money list but also for the lion's share of FedEx points.

Is a $10 million deferred bonus enough to make Tiger Woods get his head into the game or...

Could this tournament mark a change in interests for the reigning number-one golfer on the PGA Tour now that he has a child on the way? Will he be able to defend this week's title for the third time? I'm not so sure. Tiger Woods exclaimed on his website recently, "I just haven't been able to prepare. I usually spend one week working on my game before a tournament, and have been unable to do that this year."

Also on this week's broadcast, we take a look at GolfSpan Mobile, a new technology in which you can learn golf right from your own cell phone with the assistance of top PGA professionals such as Hank Haney, Jim McLean, Jane Blalock and more. Is this video technology too advanced for current wireless networks? We'll give you the pros and cons from our perspective.

Finally, we offer up a golf tip which is useful whether you're a beginner or even a professional golfer!

Sunday, January 14, 2007

While it's unlikely in the foreseeable future that Michelle Wie will make a cut in a PGA Tour event, we do not necessarily agree with Tim McDonald either. Barry and I talk about how Wie went awry, from her wrong choice of clubs right down to allowing the tournament pressure to get the best of her.

In stark contrast, 16-year-old Tadd Fujikawa showed fans that having fun has its advantages as he became the second youngest golfer in PGA Tour history to make the cut. While Tadd is probably relishing this new "factoid", Vijay Singh is cringing at Sam Snead's record. Thank goodness that television cameras focused on this up-and-coming golfer who, at 15, also qualified for the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

Could someone as vertically challenged as Fujikawa be the next Tiger Woods?

Sunday, January 07, 2007

This week on Golf for Beginners, Barry borrows a quote from the great Sam Snead to describe why my first ever possible even-par round (over five holes) turned into a mediocre event. No, it has nothing to do with Snead's effortless swing but it does have something to do with the mental game. Snead said that the golf game is 70 percent mental but at the 2003 U.S. Open, when Padraig Harrington was asked about that statement he quickly commented, "I'm not going to argue with Sam, but I'd say it's 90 percent mental."

It appears as if my progression from golf beginner to competitive amateur stops at the space between my ears. Trying to solve this dilemma will take some effort as my swing doesn't need fine-tuning but my lack of focus at the task at hand and the ability to forget what's written on the scorecard is interfering with the possibility of a score in the 70's and a single-digit handicap.

I also borrow a line from PGA teaching professional Mel Sole to identify the basic bump-and-run. A good chip shot can be accomplished with several different golf clubs, but do you use the right one for the best result?

We're both happy to be back for another season of Golf for Beginners. Travel along with us as we borrow exploits from our own golf games on the publinks to help lower scores for all of us!

Monday, January 01, 2007

What sets professional golfers like Tiger Woods apart from amateurs like us? Okay, so our swing speed hasn't been measured at 125 m.p.h. but it's not all in the physical aspects of our golf game. Amateurs sometimes fall into a comfort zone, expecting no more than what they know they can achieve as opposed to setting goals which can improve skills and change habits ingrained through improper practice.

Where the mental game is extremely important to a golfer's success, don't forget the physical aspect of the game either! It's easy to sit around and watch the New York Jets struggle for Super Bowl supremacy but it takes effort to get off your duff and exercise!

Golf Links

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